Switch-throwing mechanism.



No. 741,433. PATENTED OGT. 13,1903. N. J. ANDERSON. SWITCH THROWING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

rammed October is, 1903;

NoRvAL ir. ANDERSON, or PrrTsBURe, PENNSYLVANIA;

SWITCH TH ROWING MECHANESM;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 741,433, dated October 13, 1903.

Application filed May 18, 1903. Serial Nc.l5'7,696. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NORVAL J. ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Pittsburg,in the countyof Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch- Throwing Mechanism, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in switches, and has for its object to provide means whereby when it is desired to throw the switch the same may be accomplished without the operator leaving the car. 1

Another object of my invention is to provide a switch-throwing device which will be compact, strong and durable, and eftic'ientin its operation.

Briefly described, my invention comprises a switch-throwing device which is located in the center of the track adjacent to the switchtongue, this switch-throwing device constituting a casing in which is located mechanism for throwing the switch-tongue, and upon the cars which travel over the tracks I secure means whereby when it is desired to throw the switch the operator of the car may do the same without leaving the car. The casing carries two treads, these treads being connected by suitable mechanism to the switchtongue, whereby when one of the treads is depressed the tongue will be thrown in the desired position, and when the other of said treads is pressed downwardly the switchtongue will be returned to its normal position.

In describing the invention in detail reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,and wherein like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views,in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a section of a railway, showing my improved switch-throwing device in position. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective View of the mechanism carried within the casings. Fig. 3 is a rear end view of the casings. Fig. 4: is a vertical sectional view of one of the switch-throwing devices carried upon the cars.

To put my invention into practice, 1 pro vide an oblong casing 1, which is secured between the tracks 2, this casing 1 carrying lugs 4: in order that the same may be secured upon the ties or ballast of the track. The central portion 5 of this casing extends beyond the top portion 1 thereof, as indicated at 6, and secured or formed integral therewith at right angles is an auxiliary casing 7, which leads to the switch-tongue 8.

The body portion 1 of the switch-throwing device carries the partitions 9 and 10, and mounted between the partition 9 and the side Wall 11 is a tread 12, the front end of said tread being pivoted between the side wall 11 and the partition 9, as shown at 14, while the rear end thereof slightly projects beyond the body portion 1 of the switch-throwing device, as shown at 15. A similar tread to this is mounted between the partition 10 and the side wall 16. Between these partitions and side walls I also pivotally mount operatingrods 17, which are pivoted at 18 between the side walls and the partition, and the rear ends 19 of these rods extend slightly beyond the treads 12, these ends engaging the under.

side of the rear ends of the treads, while the front ends of said operating-rods are connected to the T-shaped lever 20, which is pivoted, as indicated at 21, to the inside of the front end of the box. The operating-rods 17 are connected to the arms of this T-shaped lever 20, as indicated at 22 and 23, and the vertical portion of this T-shaped lever has its upper end secured to the horizontal lever 24:, as indicated at 25. This horizontal lever is pivotally secured to the top 26 of the body portion 1, the pivotal connection being indicated .by reference-numeral 27. The front end of this horizontal lever 24 projects out into the extension 6 of the body portion and is connected to the mechanism carried in the auxiliary casing 7 by means of a link. 28. The mechanism carried in the auxiliary casing 7 comprises a vertical lever 29, which is pivoted, as indicated at 30, to the side walls of the casing 7, and to the upper end of this lever 29 is secured one end of the link 28, as indicated at 31, and to the lower end of this vertical lever 29 is secured another link 32. Also mounted in said casing, near the end adjacent to the switch-tongue 8, is a bellcrank 33, this crank being pivoted to the side walls of the casing 7, as indicated at 33, the

lower endof said bell-crank being connected to the vertical lever 29 by the link 32, while the upper end of the bell-crank 33 is pivotally connected to the switch-tongue, as indicated at 34.

Upon the cars I secure a switch-throwing device comprising a body portion 35, this switch-throwing device being located upon said cars, whereby it will be accessible to the motorman or operator and in such a position as when the same is used it will be in alinement with the treads of the casing 1: Secured in the body portion 35 of the switchthrowing device is a plunger 36, this plunger having upon its upper end a head 37 and upon the lower end an operating-wheel 38. The body portion 35 carries an annular flange 39 for securing this throwing device upon the car, the upper end of this body portion having an annular recess 40 formed therein, and secured around the plunger 36 is a spiral spring 41, which has its upper end secured against the collar 42, carried on the plunger, while its lower end rests upon the base of the recess 40. The lower end of the plunger 36 is bifurcated, forming the lugs 43, between which is journaled the wheel 38.

The operation of my improved switchthrowing device is as follows: It being desired to throw the switch-tongue 8, the motorman or operator upon the car compresses one of the switch-throwing devices 35 by pressing downwardly upon the head 27 until the wheel 38 comes in contact with the tread 12. It will be noted that while I have shown one of these switch-throwing devices 35 it will be essential thattwo of the devices may be placed on the car, said devices being placed in such a position as when the plunger is forced downwardly the wheel 38 will be in alinement and rests upon either one of the treads 12. Upon one of the treads 12 being depressed, and for illustration we will say the tread 12, the rear end 19 of the operating-lever is depressed and the front end 22 thereof is raised, as indicated by the arrow, and the vertical portion 20 of the T-shaped lever is forced to one side in the direction indicated by the arrow, this T-lever being pivoted, as indicated at 21. This side movement throws the horizontal lever 24 in the direction indicated by the arrow, when a slight movement will be given to the vertical lever 29, carried in the auxiliary casing 7, and the bell-crank lever 33 will have a similar movement imparted to it by means of the link 32, which connects the two together. It will be readily seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings how one of these movements is accomplished by means of the arrow indicating the different directions in which the levers will move when the tread 12 is depressed. It will be seen that when this operation takes place that the opposite tread will be moved to the normal position, so as when the one tread is down the other will be up in its normal position, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

While I have herein shown and described a practical embodiment of my invention, it will be obvious that I do not wish to limit myself to this exact construction, as various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the general spirit of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a switch-throwing device of the character described, said switch-throwing device comprising a casing and an auxiliary casing, treads mounted in one of the casings adjacent to its top face, means carried within said casings whereby when one of the treads is depressed the switch-tongue will be thrown in one direction, means carried within said casing whereby the opposite tread will be returned to its normal position, and means carried by the cars for depressing either of the treads comprising a casing, a plunger Vertically movable therein provided with a roller at the lower end thereof, said roller adapted upon depression of the plunger to engage with said treads, substantially as described.

2. A switch-throwing device comprising a casing and an auxiliary casing, one of said casings having treads pivoted therein adjacent to the top surface thereof, operating-rods and a T-lever pivotally mounted within said casing, a horizontal lever mounted within said casing, said horizontal lever being pivoted therein, a vertical lever and bell-crank lever pivotally mounted within the auxiliary casing, said bell-crank lever having its one end connected to the switch-tongue and its other end connected to the vertical lever, a link connecting said horizontal lever and vertical lever together, and means for depressing one of the treads whereby the switch-tongue will be thrown and the opposite tread returned to its normal position, substantially as described.

3. A switch-throwing device comprising a casing and an auxiliary casing, one ofsaid casings having treads pivoted therein adjacent to the top surface thereof, operating-rods and a T-lever pivotally mounted within said casing, a horizontal lever mounted within said casing, said horizontal lever being pivoted therein, a vertical lever and bell-crank pivotally mounted within the auxiliary casing, said bell-crank lever having its one end connected to the switch-tongue and its other end connected to the vertical lever, a link connecting said horizontal lever and vertical lever together, a plunger carried upon the cars in a suitable casing, said plunger having a wheel journaled in its lower end, the upper end of said plunger carrying a head, and means whereby when said plunger is pressed downwardly to engage the treads, it will be returned to its normal position when released, substantially as described.

4. A switch-throwing device of the character described comprising a casing and an auxiliary casing, treads carried by one of said gaging said plunger for normally elevating casings, means carried Within said casings the same, substantially as described. 10 whereby when one of the treads is depressed, In testimony whereof I afiix my signature the switch-tongue will be moved to any dein the presence of two Witnesses. i sired position, means carried by the car for NORVAL J. ANDERSON. engaging the treads 0f the casing, comprising Witnesses:

a vertical movable plunger adapted for roll- H. C. EVERT,

ing contact with said treads, and means en- K. H. BUTLER. 

